Self-closing faucet.



J. P. PARLEY.

SELFv CLOSING FAUGET. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 14, 1910.

9?M?3@ Patented 001;. 4, 1910.

JOHN P. FARLEY, F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

SELF-CLOSING FA'CET.

` Specicati on ot' Letters yatent.

lPatentcd @et 4t, 191th.

Application led February 14, 1910. Serial No. 543,856.

To all whom it 'may concer/rt.'

Be it known that l, JOHN P. FARLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing atV Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new vand useful improvements in Self-Closing Faucets, o f which the following is a specilication.

llt)

This invention relates to self closing faucets, and my objects are to produce a faucet which, once installed, will need no further adjustment or attention for the purpose of removing vclogging particles of the size which usually get in faucets at the time of installation ;,to produce means, in a faucetof this character, for preventing water` hammering; and to produce-means for guarding against the passage of water up through the cap ofthe faucet.

Y With these objects in View and others as hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed.; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1, is a central vertical section of a self-closing faucet embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the faucet taken at right'angles to the section shown by lF ig. 1, with the valve unseated. Fig. 3, is

a. view of a slightly modified construction of a washer forming a part of the faucet.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged inverted plan view of .the cap of the faucet.

In the said drawings where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all the figures, 1 is a base provided with a chamber 2 and internally threaded at the upper end of said chamber as at 3. The boti tom of the base is provided with a central fis passage 4 communicating with the smaller passage or bore 6 of an externally-threaded stem 5 dependingfrom and cast integral with the base, the upper end ofthe passage or bore 6 being enlar ed by means of a plurality of waterways thevariation in the diameter between the passagelf and the bore or 'passage 6 providing an upwardly-disosed shoulder 8 for a purpose which hereinafter appears. -l

.9 indicates the spout of the faucet, the same being enlarged at its receiving end to provide theV water-receiving chamber' 10. At the bottom of the said chamber is an opening 11 and depending Afrom the chamber 'reduced portion of stem 27.

around said opening is an externally-thread ed stem 12 for engagement with the threads 3 of the base. At the top of the chamber 10 the spout is formed with a cylindrical opening 13 enlarged at its upper end to provide an upwardly-disposed shoulder 1l and a wall 15 which is externally threaded.

1G .is a cap of the usual or any preferred type, screwed down upon the wall 15 and provided at its upper end with a central opening 17 and within its chamber with the substantially' l/shaped cam lugs 18 for engageinent by the il-shaped notches of the cam-collar or enlargement 19 at the lower end of the handle stem 2O extending rotatably and slidably through the opening 17 of the cap. The lower end of the stem 2() is provided with a socket 21 and secured upon the upper` end of the handle stem is the head or handle 22 which is turned to effect the unseating of the valve as hereinafter explained. T he cani-lugs 18 show clearly in Figs. 2and -land are of cominonand well known form. 23 is a cylindrical barrel arranged ver` tically within the chamber 10 of the spoutl` and terminating a slight distance above the bottom of said chamber. Near its upper end it fits snugly in the `cylindrical opening 13 and at its upper extremity is provided with an outwardly-projecting flange 24 fitting in the enlargement of said opening and resting upon the upwardly-.disposed shoulder 14. Fitting reciproca-Hy in the barrel is a cylindrical plunger 25 provided with one or more annular `peripheral channels 26, and projecting upward from the center of said portion is a cylindrical stem 27 terminating at its upper end in a diametrically-reduced eX- tension 28 for engagement with the socket 21'of the enlargement 19 of the handle stem, the extension being of length by preference to prevent the lower face of the said enlargement engaging the upper end of the nonfrom and formedintegral with the plunger is a substantially spool-shaped waterway portion 29 formed centrally with a reduced spending stem 30 and with a segmental cavit or recess 31 in vits lower end surroun ing said stem, and said stem Jfor the greater part Aof its length is preferably threaded.

Fitting upon the stem and in the 'cavity or recess at .the lower end of the waterway portion 29 is a rubber or equivalent compressible valve 32, and screwed upon the lower end of Depending 190- 4bearin said stem 30 is a cylindrical nut 33 having its upper end flanged at 34 and bearing squarely against the flat or lower face of the valve, and loosely surrounding the nut and at its upper end a ainst the flange thereo and at its lower en upon the shoulder 8 of stem 5, is a coil spring 35 for holding the valve pressedyieldingly' against the seat formed by the lower end of the stem 12 .of the spout.

Closing the upper end of the barrel and establishing an air and' water-tight joint between the same, stem 27, spout 9 and the cap 16, is a rubber washer 36 which snugly embraces stem 27, engages wall 15 and is clamped firmly upon the flanged upper end of the'barrel by the cap 16, and said washer is provided with a depending and tapering hub or flange 37 which snugly embraces stem 27 and in conjunction with the barrel forms an annular and substantially inverted V- shaped s ace into which air may be compressed or the purpose of causing said hub to more tightly hug the said stem and thus guard against the passage of air or water Y through the washer.

In Fig. 3 the washer 36 is shown as provided w1th an upwardly-projecting hub 38 in addition to the d ending hub 37 shown in the other figures. ere this double hub type of washer is used the cap 16 will y referably be'higher and the stem 27 wil bey longer so that whenA the collar 19 moves downward through the turning of the handle 22, it will not come in contact with and injure said upwardly-projecting hub. This hub simply serves to provide a longer bearing on the stem 27 andthus keffect a more perfect air and water-tight joint between thewasher and said stem 27.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that Vthe plunger occupies such a position in the barrel as to provide an air chamber between it and the washer, and that at such time the water in the chamber of the base is exerting its force in coperation with that of spring 35 in holding 1Lhe valve firmly a ainst its seat. When the handle 22 is'turne it moves downward through the co-action of the camlugs 18 and cam-collar or enlargement 19, which downward movement, through the engagement of the socket 21 with extension 28 of the plunger stem, imparts downward movement to the plunger and hence the valve, moving said parts to substantially the positions shown in Fig. 2, and thus permitting water to pass from the chamber of the basearound the valve and through the stem 12 into the lchamber 10 of the spout, the spool-shaped waterway portion 29 between the valve and plunger, providing a relatively large circular space or way to permit foreign particles in the water, such as beads o;e solder or chippings of metal or plaster, free passage to the spout in any direction, as

distinguished from the ordinaryvalve' stem having a plurality of relatively small ways through which the water and foreign particles must pass before reaching the spout.

This faucet, once installed, will need no further attention on the part of the plumber, as foreign particles which will clog an ordi- 'nary self-closing faucet will gradually work pass such body of compressed air.-

When the handle 22 is released the pressure of the waterand of spring 35 will effect the relevation and reseating of the valve and the upward movement of the plunger. the handle bein turned back to its original position throng the coaction of the camlugs and .the cam-collar.

As the drawings show a pair of diametrically opposite cam lugs and apair of diametrically opposite V-shaped notches in the camy collar of the stem, the latteris never turned a full quarter revolution in effecting the unseating of the valve as such movement would bring the highest point of the collar against the extreme lower ends of the cam lugs and i thus perhaps result in preventing the water,

assisted by the spring 35, romrelevating the stem and closing the valve whe-n the handle is released.

The seat-ing of the valve does not occur wit-h any material shock or jar as such is prevented through the opposition of the cushion of air in the barrel between the plunger and the washer, the excess air (if any) in such upward movement of the plunger passingdownward through the barrel around the plunger and facilitating the drainage of the water therefrom into the spout, and in this connection it is to be understood that in the upward movement of the plunger the water in the channels exerts an equal pressure on the plunger at all sides and therefore tends to insure undeviating reciprocatory movement thereof. The Water in the cylinder also constitutes a seal to confine the air in the barrel vthat it shall oiier an appreciable resistance to the upward movement of the valve. It will be also not-iced that by reason of the fact that the.

braces .the plunger, the latter cannot move laterally. The lower end of the spool portion 29 also lits snugly in the depending stem l2 when and just before the valve is seated and therefore cooperates with the barrel in guarding against lateral vibration ot' the valve. lhe spring also tends to insure direct vibration of the valve because it lits ceptible of modication in various particulars without departing from the spiritand scope or sacriicing any of the advantages of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is;

l. A, selt-closing faucet, comprising a base having a chamber, a spout provided with openings in the top and bottom, a cap secured to and in superposed relation with the spout vertically above the base, a barrel itting snugly in the upper opening of the spout and 'terminating short ot' and arranged in alinement with the lower opening thereof, a reciprocatory plunger fitting snugly in the barrel'and provided with an upwardlyproject-ing stem and a depending waterway portion, a valve secured against the lower end of the waterway portion, yielding means for holding the valve closed overv said lower opening, a compressible Washer establishing a substantially water and air-tight jointbetween the upper end of the barrel and the upwardly-projecting stem of the plunger, and means for unseating the valve.

2. A self-closing faucet,rcomprising a base having achamber, a spout provided with openings in the'top and bottom, a cap secured to and in superposed relation with the spout vertically above the base, a barrel titting snugly in the upper opening of the spout and terminating short of and arranged in alinement with the lower opening thereof, a reciprocatory`- plunger fitting snugly in the barrel and provided with an upwardly-projecting stem and a depending waterway portion, a valve secured against the lower end of the waterway portion, yielding means for holding the valve closed over said lower opening, a compressible washer establishing a substantially water and air-tight joint between the upper end of the barrel and the upwardly-projecting stem of the plunger, and rotatable and longitudinally-movable means for unseat-ing the valve.

3. A self-closing faucet, comprising a base having. a chamber, `a spout provided with openings in the top and bottom, a cap secured to and in superposed relation with the spout vertically above the base, a barrel litting snugly in the upper opening of the spout and terminating short of and' arranged in alinement with the lower opening thereof, a reciprocatory plunger tting snugly in the barrel and provided with an upwardly-projecting stem and a depending Y waterway portion, a valve secured against the lower end of the waterway portion, yielding means for holding the valve closed over said lower openings, a compressible washer establishing a substantially water and air-tight joint between lthe upper end or' the barrel and the upwardlyprojecting stem of the plunger, and means engaging the upper end of the plunger stem to move the same endwise and force the valve away from its seat and the lower end of the waterway portion out of the said opening at the bottom of the spout;

il. ln a self-closing aucet,aspout having openings in its top and bottom, a barrel tit-e ting snugly in the upper opening, a plunger reciprocally arranged in the barrel, a valve connected to move with the plunger and arranged below the spout and adapted for controlling the passage ot water into the same through the said lower opening, and means for closing the upper end of the barrel to confine air in such end whereby upward movement of the plunger and the valve is resisted and the seating of the latter is cushioned.

5. lin a self-closing faucet, a spout having openings in its top and bottom, a barrel itting snugly in the upper opening, 'a plungerreciprocally arranged in the barrel, a valve connected to move with the plunger and arranged below the spout and adapted Jlr'or controlling the passage of water into,

the same through the said lower opening, anda resilient washer closing the .upper end of the barrel to confine air in such end whereby upward movement of the plunger and the valve is resisted and the seating of the latter is cushioned.

ln a self-closing faucet, a spout having openings inits top and bottom, a barrel litting snugly in the upper opening, a plunger reciprocally arranged in the barrel, a, valve connect-ed to move with the plunger and arranged below the spout and adapted for conj trolling the passage of water into the same through the said lower opening, a resilient washer closing the upper end of the barrel to confine air in such end whereby upward movement of the plunger and the valve is resisted and the' seating of the latter is cushioned, in combination with a base having a chamber, bearing a rigid relation to .the

` spout and inclosing the valve, and a spring inclosed by said base and bearing against the same at one end and adapted to`eXert a pressure tending to seat or close said valve.

7. In a self-closing faucet, a spout having openings in its tl and bottom, a barrel tting snuglyin th, upper opening, a plunger reciprocally arranged in thebarrel, a valve connected to move with the plunger and arranged below the spout and adapted for controlling the passage of water into the same through the said lower opening, a resilient washer closing the upper endof the barrel to confine air in such end whereby upward movement of the plunger and the valve is resisted and the seatingfof the latter is cushioned, in combination with a base having a chamber and bearing a rigid relation to the spout and inclosing the valve, a nut bea-ring a fixed relation to the plunger and underlying and securing the valve in fixed relation to the plunger, and a spring surrounding said nut and tending to hold the valve seated. y v.

8. A self-closing faucet, comprising a base having a chamberand an opening inits bottom and a tubular depending stem having a bore of smaller diameter than said openin and communicating therewith and provide with waterways, a spout superposed upon and rigidly secured to the base and provided with a lower opening communicating with the chamber of the base and with an upper opening, a cap secured to the spout over the Said upper opening, a barrel depending into the spout through the upper opening thereof, a plunger Vfitting reciprocally in the barrel and provided with a cylindrical stein projecting upwardly and with a substantially spool-shaped depending portion and a stern depending from the center of the @spoolshaped portion into the chamber of the base,

a nut secured upon the last-named stem, a. compressible valve fitting on said'stem and i clamped by said nut against the lower end of the spool-shaped portion and adapted for controlling the passage of water from the chamber of the base into the spout through the lower opening of the latter, a spring means projecting into the cap for imposlng a downward pressure on the upper end of said upwardly-projecting stem, to force the same and the plunger downward and unseat the valve to permit water to pass from the chamber of thev base into the spout.

9. In a self-closing faucet, a spout having an opening in its upper end, a cylindrical barrel depending into said spout through said openin a plunger tting reciprocally in the barre and provided with a stem projecting beyond the upper end of the barrel, a cap engaging the upper part of the spout and inclosing the upper end of said stem, and a compressible washer closing the upper end ofthe barrel and secured in fixed relation thereto and fitting snugly on said stem and provided with a central hub dependin into the upper end of the barrel and tapere toward its lower end.

10. In a self-closing faucet, a spout having an opening in its upper end, a cylindrical barrel depending into said spout through its upper side, a plungerv fitting reciprocally in the barrel and provided with a stem projecting beyond the upper end of the barrel, a cap engaging the upper part of the spout and inclosing the upper end of said stem, and a compressible washer closing the upper end of the barrel and secured in ixed relation4 thereto and fitting snu ly on said stem and provided with a central hub depending into the upper end of the barrel and tapered toward ,its lower end and provided also with an upwardly-proj ecting hub surrounding the stem.

' AIn testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. FARLEY.

Witnesses:

AHieraan C. RODGERS,

G. Y. Tnon'rn. 

